Matrix Bound
by Deep Metal
Summary: What is life after death? For Transmetal II Dinobot, all his questions will be answered soon.


_Disclaimer:_ _Beast Wars is property of Hasbro, Mainframe, etc._

**Matrix Bound**

Transmetal II Dinobot blinked. Was this truly death? The pain from the explosion had seared his entire body. There was no doubt in his mind that he was now dead.

But why was he still conscious?

After quite some time of contemplation, Dinobot raised his head… or what he thought was his head.

His body still felt intact but somehow, it felt… more astral than physical. He could still feel but after looking at himself, he discovered that his whole body was transparent while his spark was quite visible.

"By the Pit!" he exclaimed. "What has happened?"

A small green orb appeared besides him. Dinobot looked at it cautiously.

"Greetings, Dinobot," it said. "I am Astra, your guide to the spiritual plain that is The Forge. Do you know where you are?"

Dinobot blinked. He had often heard the Predacons mention an afterlife known as the Pit and sometimes, the Matrix but the Forge? He had no idea what the Forge was.

"The Forge," explained Astra. "It is the spiritual plain after death where ALL sparks go to await judgment from Primus. Depending on the life you've lived, Primus will decide whether or not you receive eternal blessings in the Matrix or an extended period of time of suffering in the Pit. You do know about the Matrix and the Pit, correct?"

Dinobot nodded.

"The bliss of the Matrix is eternal," continued Astra. "As for the Pit or the Inferno, the length of time a spark stays there depends on the weight of their sins in their physical lifetime. Some sparks stay within the Inferno for a few eons and suffer to atone for their sins. After that, all their memories are wiped clean and they are given a new chance at life in the galaxy once more. Other sparks, however, are deemed too evil to be allowed to go free. They reside within the Pit eternally. Your spark awaits judgment within a few cycles, Dinobot. Whatever fate you receive is up to Primus from now on."

Dinobot barely heard anything Astra had said to him. He was too busy recalling the last few moments of his life. He was aboard the Nemesis when Megatron was about to destroy the Ark after tossing him aside. A small shuttle had crashed through the windows and smashed into Megatron, destroying the main controls.

Despite Optimus' cries for him to run, he chose to die. He did not know why but it seemed like the right thing to do to atone for the suffering he had caused.

And now… he was not so sure he made the right decision to die right there and then… especially since he was about to be weighed for the sins committed within his relatively short lifespan. And as Primus probably already knew, his one supposed good deed did not weigh out all the evil he had committed in the Beast Wars.

Dinobot closed his eyes. "I am ready," he said softly.

"You will also have a small group of sparks who will speak for your defense," explained Astra. "Primus' judgment of you will also be influenced to an extent by their testimonials."

Dinobot snorted. Who would possibly speak up for him? In all honesty, he knew no such spark that would do such a thing for him. Not even his own half-brother Rampage would speak up on his behalf.

He was truly alone. A massive gate appeared before them soon enough.

"I believe it's your turn now," said Astra as the gates opened. Dinobot did not hesitate to walk through the massive gates.

"I do not know what to expect," thought Dinobot, "but yet, I feel that I will finally have closure to my short life in this place."

"**AND INDEED, CLOSURE IS WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE**!" boomed a huge voice.

Dinobot looked up. Before the gigantic throne room he was now in, sat an enormous gold-plated robot.

"Primus," whispered Dinobot.

"Yes, and I've been waiting quite a while for this, Transmetal II Dinobot!" rumbled Primus. "Your sins include not only what you have done as Dinobot but also as Protoform X!"

Dinobot did not look away.

"My spark has always been a part of his," confessed Dinobot, "that I cannot deny."

"CORRECT!" shouted Primus, "and as such, you will receive eternal damnation within the Inferno!"

Dinobot's stare did not waiver. "I am prepared to meet my fate," he said stoically.

"WAIT!" cried four voices simultaneously.

Both Dinobot and Primus were surprised by now. Four sparks materialized before the throne room.

"This isn't fair, Primus," said the spark with a female voice. It soon took the physical form of a lithe femme-bot with apparently the beast mode of a falcon.

"You cannot condemn a good 'bot to eternal suffering!" cried the deep voice of another spark. It soon took the physical form of a Maximal with a tiger's beast form.

"We all have a say in this!" growled a larger spark that soon revealed itself soon to be none other than Depth Charge.

"As promised by your rules alone, we will speak up for my clone," said the final spark which finally materialized as someone who looked very much like Transmetal II Dinobot.

This was the original Dinobot, the one who had died protecting the proto-humans from Megatron's genocidal goals.

Primus did not look pleased.

"I allowed you into the trial of Dinobot to be his witnesses," he said, "but honestly, how can you stand up for the spark of a murderer?"

"How can you accuse him of being a murderer?" argued Airrazor. "From what we've seen, his actions have saved Transformer-kind from total destruction. If not for him, the Autobots within the Ark would have been destroyed for good!"

Primus growled deeply.

"His spark was carved from that of Rampage's," Primus barked. "Protoform X's spark was a spark of pure evil. This bastardized Dinobot is no different!"

"But in all his time, he has not killed a single sentient!" Tigatron urged. "It was his half-brother, Rampage who was truly evil, not him!"

Primus glared at Dinobot.

"You remember every single act you committed under Megatron, do you not?" accused Primus, "The thrill of hunting down others and tearing them to shreds, don't you? You enjoyed such actions, did you not?"

"I will not lie," said Dinobot. "At the time, I did enjoy such acts."

"Do you still enjoy such acts of evil?" asked the spark of the original Dinobot. "In all this time, you've changed, have you not?"

"I have," confessed Dinobot. "I admit that I regret every single act that I committed under Megatron's command."

The original Dinobot looked up at Primus.

"This cannot be the same merciless killer you saw in the Beast Wars!" said the spark of the original. "He has changed… and it shows through his actions in the final stages of his life!"

Primus was not convinced.

Dinobot, on the other hand, stared quizzically at the robots before him. They were speaking up on his behalf, despite not knowing him well.

Primus glared down at him with blazing eyes.

In an instant, Dinobot felt the sins of Rampage heaved upon him… every murder… every massacre… every life he had ever taken. The images of ravaged colonies lay before him… children with their sparks torn apart… cities crumbling… sentients dying…

"What you see now are the images of Colonies Omicron, Delta, Sigma, Alpha, and Theta!" roared Primus. "Do you understand what I am trying to say?"

Dinobot nodded his head, fully understanding where Primus was headed with all this.

"Over three million lives total were lost because of Protoform X," rumbled Primus. "Before you came online, your spark was a part of Rampage's spark, were you not?"

"Affirmative."

"Not only were you a part of him… you WERE Rampage!" snarled Primus. "You do remember every single act committed by Rampage, do you not? You remember everything about his life from the moment he was conceived to the moment he died, correct?"

Dinobot said nothing. He did indeed have all of Rampage's memories, even his final moments at the bottom of the ocean with Depth Charge.

"Since you are Protoform X, I reserve all rights to condemn your spark to the Inferno!" declared Primus.

"No!" spoke Depth Charge at long last.

Depth Charge was a large 'bot but even he was like an insect compared to Primus.

"You're the one I understand least of all, Depth Charge," said Primus. "Dinobot is being tried for the crimes of X. I thought you'd take solace in the fact that an irredeemable killer is about to be put away forever."

"That Depth Charge…" said the manta ray, "died a long time ago."

Even though this Depth Charge had changed, Dinobot could tell that he was still having slight trouble letting go of past events.

"I may not have liked his scaly hide much," said Depth Charge, "but from what I can tell, this Dinobot is NOT Rampage! Even if he was a part of X at one point… that eventually changed. Unlike Rampage, he hasregard for sentient life! My point is, this 'bot is no longer the murderer I hunted to avenge my slain friends. I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to sentence him to his fate."

Primus was confused.

"Even you would stand up for him?" questioned Primus.

"Yes, even me!" declared Depth Charge resolutely, "and don't think you can hurl lightning bolts to scare me! I've made up my mind!"

"You've all stated your reasons for sparing Dinobot from eternal torment but tell me, why should I take your word over my own judgment?" asked Primus.

"You would not judge a son for the sins of his father!" said Tigatron. "Why would you condemn Dinobot for the sins of Rampage?"

"Because he IS Rampage!" raged Primus. "His spark IS that of Rampage's! One act of good does not balance out a lifetime of evil!"

"Then by all means, you should have sent me to the Pit instead of eternal paradise within the Matrix!" stated the original Dinobot, "if one act of compassion truly does not balance out a lifetime of evil."

"What?" asked Primus. "Why are you saying this?"

"Before I entered into the Beast Wars, I lived a rotten life… a cursed life," said the spark of the original. "If it hadn't been for Optimus Primal and my friends aboard the Axalon, I might have become even worse. Even during the Beast Wars, I did not abandon my old ways completely. Even when I died, you should have sent me to the Pit for my deeds in life. Because as you said, one act of good does not balance out a lifetime of evil."

"Your case was different!" rumbled Primus. "Your sins, although heavy, do not measure up to what Rampage has committed during his entire lifetime! Therefore, your clone, Transmetal II Dinobot, must be tried and held responsible for the same sins as Rampage!"

"You've already sent X to his fate," Depth Charge spoke up, "and what about me, Primus? After X destroyed Omicron, I went off on my own self-serving vendetta, not caring about anything but my own goals. My last acts in life were even acts of revenge. By all means, you should have sent me to the Pit for wasting my life away in pursuit of my own selfish purposes."

"But you were the one who set off the cataclysm which saved Transformer-kind from total destruction," argued Primus, "and in your last moments in life, you chose to obey Optimus Primal's orders again, showing your true self."

"Right," said Depth Charge, "but it was Dinobot who truly saved the galaxy through his actions. You can't deny that!"

Primus regarded the four sparks with great interest.

"Despite everything that's been said by me, you would still defend the spark of Transmetal II Dinobot?" he asked.

Tigatron, Airrazor, Dinobot, and Depth Charge nodded at once.

"He is his own 'bot," said Tigatron. "You shouldn't hold him accountable for what Protoform X did. Even if you did send him to the Inferno, those killed by Rampage would still be dead and rejoicing in the Matrix. Dinobot's condemnation would neither help nor give rest to those already living in happiness in the Matrix."

"True…" sighed Primus. As much as he hated it, the four sparks who spoke on behalf of TMII Dinobot were making sense.

"And if you send Dinobot to the Pit, then you send myself along with him," said Depth Charge resolutely.

"I concur," the original Dinobot replied, "My spark along with theirs!"

"Same with ours!" declared Airrazor. Tigatron nodded in accordance.

Primus let out a long, worn out sigh.

"Very well," he said. "You have convinced me that Dinobot does not deserve eternal condemnation within the Pit along with Rampage…"

The Transmetal II could hardly believe what he was hearing! Primus was not condemning him for the sins of Rampage?

"_They barely know me_," he thought, "_and yet… they are willing to testify on my behalf_…"

"But still…" Primus spoke more softly. "He has not proven himself worthy of eternal blessings within the Matrix either. Tell me why I should send him there. He has never even lived his short life to its fullest. What shall I do with him?"

"You're right," said Depth Charge. "He doesn't deserve eternal rest, at least not yet, which is why you should give him the same chance you're giving me."

Primus gasped.

"You mean to say that you want me to wipe his spark clean of all its memories and reincarnate him?" cried Primus. "Such a thing is rarely done and when it is, it's reserved for those who lived their lives not knowing any better… those who lived tragically and truly deserve a second chance at life!"

"Precisely," Depth Charge quickly replied, "which is why his sentence should be the same as mine. Think about it, he'll have a new chance at life… a life where he can truly choose his own destiny, not the one imposed upon him by Megatron and the spark of Rampage."

Primus considered it thoughtfully. Finally, after much contemplation, he spoke. He was no longer the angry and wrathful Primus that Dinobot had seen earlier.

"Very well," he said kindly and benignly. "You have indeed shown me that Dinobot should indeed be judged accordingly not based on the past crimes of Protoform X."

The original Dinobot seemed most pleased of all.

"You, along with Depth Charge, will have your sparks cleansed of all memories so that you may start a new life elsewhere," said Primus. "When the time comes for you to come before me again, I will have a proper chance to evaluate whether or not you're worthy of the Matrix or the Pit. When that moment comes, however, I have no doubt in my mind that you will have truly lived your lives the way you were always supposed to."

Dinobot looked up at Primus.

"I will send you on your way now," Primus gestured. "Peace be with you, my son."

In a flash, Dinobot found himself outside the gates once more. Astra floated up besides him.

"I just received news of your sentence," it said. "Apparently you are to be reincarnated on the physical plain once more."

"Yes," replied Dinobot. "Does this occurrence happen often?"

"Not commonly," answered Astra, "but it happens from time to time."

With a simple glow, Astra summoned another, smaller gate that stood before the Transmetal II raptor.

"When you cross this gate, you will lose all consciousness," explained the inter-dimensional being. "You will lose all memories of your past life and start a new life elsewhere. But before you go there is someone who would like to speak with you."

Depth Charge and the original Dinobot appeared besides him.

TMII Dinobot stared at them with a curious expression.

"Tell me something," he asked. "All this time, I had given up on myself and had decided that I would accept my fate, whatever it was. Why did you speak up for one whom you barely knew?"

"Because we have been watching everything that has happened in the Beast Wars," explained the original Dinobot. "I always had a feeling that one day, your better programming would prevail, especially when that rodent inserted my memories within you."

"I… begin to see now," said TMII Dinobot.

"From this moment until the end," continued the original. "You will have the chance to gain the happiness that I never quite achieved in my life. Henceforth, you are your own 'bot… with ties to neither me nor Rampage. Venture forth into the galaxy and live your new life without fear. Your past sins have been nullified."

"What about you?" asked the Transmetal II. "Where will you go?"

"Oh, my final resting place is here, within the Matrix," replied the original. "Besides, in a few moments, I will be at Megatron's trial."

"Megatron's here!" cried TMII Dinobot in shock.

"Time passes much more slowly up here," explained Depth Charge, "Megatron has been defeated for good."

Dinobot breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wouldn't have to worry about the tyrant any longer.

"I will be leaving now," said the original. "I wish you luck on your journey!"

"Yes," replied Dinobot, "and thank you for everything you've done for me!"

The original Dinobot smirked and faded away. Now, only the Transmetal II and the Manta Ray remained.

"You ready?" asked Depth Charge. "Once we step through this door, we walk into a whole new galaxy."

"I've lived for such a short time…" mused Dinobot, "but yet, there is so much more that I wish to contemplate before I enter into my new life."

"Well, now you'll have that chance," said Depth Charge. "As far as I'm concerned, we have all the time in the galaxy."

Dinobot smiled.

"Indeed we do," he grinned.

Side by side, the two warriors walked through the gate.

The End.


End file.
